EDITOR’S NOTE: This story first appeared at the Ashland University sports information website.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Playoff football is often decided by the smallest of margins.
On Saturday, in Charleston, W.Va., a postseason clash between Ashland and Charleston was decided by a foot — the foot of A.J. Rhodes.
After a missed extra point earlier in the game, the junior kicker drilled a 37-yard field goal as time expired to give the Eagles a 40-38 upset at No. 6 Charleston.
The Eagles’ fourth all-time NCAA Division II playoff win, and ninth win in the last 10 games overall, came following the sixth and final lead change of the afternoon.
Ashland quickly took advantage of a fumble recovery by sophomore linebacker Ben Holzopfel on the game’s first drive. Senior quarterback Trevor Bycznski began a monster game by finding senior wide receiver Tony Pannunzio for a 41-yard touchdown pass on the Eagles’ first play from scrimmage.
Previously undefeated Charleston (11-1) was stopped on fourth-and-1 at the AU 33, and the Eagles rolled down the field. Rhodes’ first 37-yard field goal put Ashland up 10-0 after the game’s first 11:17.
Early in the second quarter, Charleston took points off the board after an Eagle holding call on a made field goal. The Golden Eagles got on the board thanks to a one-yard TD run by fullback Niko Kausky.
The Golden Eagles took a 14-10 edge into halftime when quarterback Ean Hamric connected with wide receiver Yves Bosmans on a 41-yard scoring strike in the second quarter.
Running back Chavon Wright opened the third period by blasting in on a 2-yard scoring run to make it 21-10 at the 9:51 mark.
The Eagles cut the deficit to 21-17 when Bycznski went in from a yard out. Then, early in the fourth quarter, Bycznski threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to junior tight end Brock Henne to put Ashland ahead, 24-21.
Hamric engineered the Golden Eagles back down the field, and scored himself on an 11-yard keeper with 10:52 remaining to push the hosts back in front, 28-24.
Bycznski kept the seesaw going with the fourth lead change of the game after a 45-yard touchdown toss to sophomore wide receiver Jamari Croom.
The extra point was missed, but the Eagles led 30-28 with 9:25 left.
AU sophomore tailback Olando Kamara seemed to put the game away when he exploded 77 yards for the score, putting the Eagles ahead 37-28 with 5:28 left.
But kicker Levi Paxton hit a 42-yard field goal at the 3:08 mark to pull Charleston within 37-31. Then, Hamric and Bosmans put the Golden Eagles ahead with a 44-yard bomb with 1:13 left following the extra point.
That set the stage for the Eagles’ final, heroic march.
Bycznski, who narrowly missed setting a new single-game passing record, moved Ashland down the field, utilizing all three timeouts along the way. That set up Rhodes for the game-winner.
The rest of the story
- Bycznski was 28-for-42 for 435 yards and three touchdowns, and added the rushing TD.
- Pannunzio tied the Ashland single-game receptions record with 14, catches and gained 228 yards.
- Rhodes became the first Eagle kicker in seven years to hit a game-ending, game-winning field goal (Aiden Simenc at home vs. Grand Valley State in 2017).
- The two teams combined for 78 points, 50 first downs and 1,134 yards of total offense on Saturday.
- Ashland outscored Charleston 23-17 in the fourth quarter, with the two teams combining for a whopping 40 points in the final period.
Next
The Eagles move on to a second-round Division II playoff game on Nov. 30 at No. 20 California, Pa. (9-2).
